Machine for treating counters



Sept. 15, 1942. A; L. RUSSELL ETAL 2,295,690

MACHINE FOR TREATINGbOUNTERS Original Filed Dec. 5, 1958 5 Sheets -Sheet 1 A. L. RUSSELL ETAL MACHINE FOR TREATING COUNTERS Sept. 15, 1942.

Original Filed Dec. 5, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 15, 1942. A. L. RUSSELL ETAL MACHINE FOR TREATING COUNTERS Original Filed Dec. 5, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 //v l/E/V MR5 W, W 43 W 44 Fi sgk fir. Wm

Patented Sept. 15, 1942 MACHINE FOR TREATING COUNTERS Arthur L. Russell, Boston, and William M. Watson, Beverly, Mass, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Original application De 243,996. Divided an 1940, Serial No. 332,788

9 Claims.

This invention relates to counter stiffeners and the manufacture of counter stiffeners which are primarily adapted for Goodyear welt shoes and more particularly to the provision of counter stifieners which will facilitate the lasting of this type of shoes at the portions thereof where the upper materials, including the counter stiffener, are required to be wiped over the feather of the insole and bent at right angles to the feather to lie closely against the sewing rib to which they are to be attached in the finished shoe.

It has heretofore been proposed to mold or form the flange of a molded counter stiffener with upstanding marginal portions along its ends as shown for example in United States Letters Patent No. 1,141,911 granted June 1, 1915, upon an application filed in the name of Herbert J. Percy. This counter stiffener met with limited success, however, because in practical shoe manufacturing no predetermined location for the upstanding marginal portions is correct for the Variety of styles and conditions encountered. For example, some styles of shoes require insoles to be channeled-on farther, and therefore the sewing rib to be located farther from the edge of the insole feather, than the style represented perhaps by the next case of shoes to be lasted and sewn to that rib. In fact some styles of shoes present sewing ribs differently located on the inner and outer sides of the same shoe. These and other conditions have made the Percy type of counter stiffener acceptable to a limited extent only, and most welt shoe manufacturers continue to use molded counter stiffeners with plain inwardly turned flanges.

Such counter stiffener flanges bridge from the edge of the insole on an inclined plane up to the top of the sewing rib and can not be lasted flat down upon the feather and then abruptly up against the sewing rib as is necessary to obtain good shoemaking and correct appearance at the breast line of the finished shoe. This necessitates a difficult and not too successful breast line lasting operation in which an attempt is made to break the counter flange down to the feather and fasten it down while leaving the margin of the flange standing up against the sewing rib in position to be permanently fastened to the root of the rib by the inseam. In fact a machine for preparing this region of the shoe for the inseaming operation is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,914,416 granted June 20, 1933, in the names of George Goddu and Lester Macdonald, said machine being 5 cember 5, 1938, Serial No. d this application May 1,

capable of doing this work satisfactorily but at a substantial cost and as an extra operation.

With these considerations in mind, the present invention relates to a machine for treating a counter stiffener in such manner as to render the marginal portions at the ends of its inturned flange so pliable that all or any part of said marginal portions may be bent up against the sewing rib without great resistance, while leaving the remaining portion of the flange unaffected by such treatment and retaining all of its stiffness to brace the shoe against pressure of the foot. The pliability is attained by indenting the flange, as herein shown by pressing longitudinal corrugations or creases into the marginal portion only of the flange. These creases or corrugations establish a plurality of closely adjacent lines of flexure extending parallel to the sewing rib and provide a counter stifiener adapted for advantageous use with styles of shoes having different widths of insole feather, or a different width of feather on the inner side from that on the outer side of the insole. It will be noted that providing widthwise pliability of the desired portion of the flange by corrugating pressure removes none of the counter stilfener stock; and, while the corrugations tend to produce lines of flexure parallel with the sewing rib, the flexing does not necessarily follow these lines, but the margin is rendered so pliable that it offers little resistance to being formed into the angle between the feather and the upstanding sewing lip on any line required by the position of the sewing rib relatively to insole feathers of any width.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a counter stifiener which has been treated by the machine of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a portion of a lasted shoe in which the counter has been incorporated;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine for forming indentations in the attaching flange of a counter stiffener;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the machine, certain parts having been broken away and others having been shown in section; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-section through portions of a pair of dies which are used in the machine.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a molded counter stiifener having a substantially upright wall II and an inturned flange I3. This counter stiffener is designed for use in a welt shoe the insole of which is provided with a sewing rib which extends around the forepart and shank of the insole and-the ends of which terminate in the vicinity of the heel breast line. In the manufacture of such a shoe, the upper, counter stiffener and lining, if a lining is present, are assembled together with an insole upon a last, pulled over and lasted. Prior to the lasting operation the forward ends of the inturned attaching flange of the counter stiffener bridge over the edge of the insole on an incline to the top of the sewing rib and, during the lasting operation, should be bent into the angle between the insole feather and the adjacent wall of the sewing rib so that the base portions of the forward ends of the flange (that is, those portions adjacent to the substantially upright wall) may lie flat upon the feather of the insole, and the marginal portions of the ends of the flange may lie parallel and close to the sewing rib in position to be fastened to the rib by the inseam stitches which pass through the root of the rib. In order to facilitate the bending of the forward ends of the inturned flange of the counter stiffener in the manner described above, the marginal portions of the ends of the flange are indented to render said portions pliable. In the illustrated counter stiffener these indentations take the form of corrugations or creases l5 in said marginal portion, the remaining portions [1 of the flange adjacent to the corrugations which are adapted to lie flat upon the feather of the insole, or upon the interposed lining if a lining is'present, being free from indentations. When therefore a shoe having embodied in it such a counter stiffener is lasted, the margins at the ends of the attaching flange may readily be bent widthwise so as to lie snugly in place in the angle between thefeather and the sewing rib irrespective of the width of the feather and irrespective of whether the width of the feather is the same on the opposite margins of the insole.

- In Fig. 2, which shows a portion of a lasted shoe, the insole is indicated at 19, the sewing rib at 21, and the insole feather at 23. In this shoe the upper 25, the lining 21, and the counter stiffener are shown, and it will be noted that the flange of the counter stiffener together with the adjacent portion of the lining and the upper have been bent into place, the base i! of the flange lying parallel to the feather and the marginal portion of the flange having been bent so as to lie close and parallel to the upstanding sewing rib, all three parts of the assembled upper having been fastened to the sewing rib by the staples 29 of the usual side lasting machine. Thus, with a counter stiffener having the margins at the end portions of its inturned flange rendered pliable, welt shoes may be properly breast line'lasted and staple fastened with the ends of the flange bedded down upon the feather and up against the sewing rib, or upon the interposed lining if, as shown in the illustrated shoe, a lining is present.

The illustrated counter stiffener may be made by subjecting the attaching flanges of an ordinary molded counter stiifener to pressure between dies having corrugations such that the ridges of the corrugations of one die register with the valleys of the other die. In Fig. 5 there are shown in cross section portions of two such dies, the ridges ii of the lower die :13 being in register with the valleys Q5 of the upper die 41.

Referring to Figs. 3 and l, a machine is shown employing such dies in which a counter stiffener may have its attaching flange creased in the manner shown in Fig. 1. The machine comprises a base 49 having integral with it spaced upstanding flanges or standards 5!. Also integral with the base is a rib or guide 53 on which is mounted for vertical adjustment a support 55 for a form, said support having spaced downwardly extending flanges to provide a channel to receive the upper portion of the guide The support 55 is fastened to the guide 53 by cap screws 5? which pass through holes in the support and are threaded into the guide. In order to permit vertical adjustment of the support he, the downwardly extending flanges on the support have inclined lower faces, one of which is indicated at 59 in Fig. 4; and these inclined faces rest upon inclined faces, one of which is indicated at 6|, of a forked wedge E3, the forks of which have between them a channel to receive the guide 53. This wedge (Fig. 4) has threaded through its base-that is through the portion at the right hand end of the wedge as viewed in Fig. 4 with which the forks of the wedge are integrala cap screw 65 the head of which is held from movement longitudinally of the screw by lugs 61 which are integral with the base Q9. Thus, after the cap screws 57 have been loosened, turning the screw 65 will move the wedge 63 lengthwise and raise or lower the support 55.

Projecting upwardly from and integral with the support 55 is a member 68 having detachably fastened to its flat top by screws H and dowels 13 the lower die 43, the member 69 and the die 43 constituting a form to receive a molded counter stiffener the flange of which is to be creased. In order to hold the counter stiffener firmly upon the form, two pressers i i of spring steel and of the outline shown in Fig. 4 are fastened to the support 55 one at each side by screws [5. These pressers flare toward the front of the form to facilitate the placing of a counter stiffener on the form. The upper die ll is yieldingly mounted upon the under side of a reciprocating crosshead 12, said die being slidable upon the smooth portions of the stems of cap screws iii, the reduced upper ends of which are threaded into the cross-head. Comparatively heavy coiled springs 23!, each having its upper end in a socket in the cross-head and its lower end in a registering socket in the die urge the die downwardly at all times and normally hold it in contact with the heads of the cap screws 19. The springs are of sufficient strength to crease the flange of a counter stiffener but will yield so as not to exert too great a pressure if the flange is comparatively thick. The cross-head ii is provided with slides 83 at its opposite sides which are received between guides 85 bolted to the upright standards 5| of the frame and is reciprocated by means of a connecting rod 81. This connecting rod has a hub at its lower end provided with a bore to receive a rod carried by the cross-head and has at its upper end a split bearing to receive a crank pin carried at the middle of a horizontal shaft 89 so that, when the shaft 89 is rotated, the cross-head is reciprocated.

Loose on the shaft 89 is a large gear 9!, said gear meshing with a small gear 93 fast on one end of a shaft 95 on the other end of which is fast a pulley 9'! driven continually by a belt 99 from any suitable source of power. A single revolution may be imparted to the shaft 89 at any time by depressing and releasing a treadle [ill to cause a one-revolution clutch to connect the hub of the large gear 9| with the shaft 89. This onerevolution clutch will not be described since the details of its construction form no part of the present invention, and any suitable one-revolution clutch may be used. It will be understood,

however, that the shaft 89 comes to rest with the cross-head raised, as shown, and that when the treadle IOI is depressed and then released, to pull down a treadle rod I03 against the force of a spring I05 and then to permit the spring to raise the rod once more into the position shown, the cross-head, which carries the upper die 41, will make a complete reciprocation and come to rest.

When the parts of the machine are in the positions shown, the operator places a molded counter stiffener on the form, which consists of the member 69 and the lower die 43, by holding the counter stiffener upside down and thrusting the stiffener forward with its wings between the spring pressers I4 and the sides of the form, and with the inturned front ends of the flange of the counter stiffener resting upon the top of the die 43 and overlying the corrugations. In order to make sure that the counter stiffener shall be thrust forward so that its rear wall is in firm contact with the adjacent face of the form when the cross-head descends, a pusher I01 (Fig. 3) is provided. The stem I08 of this pusher is pivoted to the upper die 41 about the stem of a screw I09; and a tension spring II I, the upper end of which is hooked over a pin II3 driven into one of the stationary guides 85 and the lower end of which is hooked in the left-hand end of the stem I08, tends at all times to swing the pusher down. When the machine comes to rest, the pusher is held up out of the way, so that the counter stiffener may readily be placed on the form, by a small block I I5 fastened by screws to one of the stationary guides 85, said block engaging a small roll II! on a pin II9 driven into the stem I08. When the cross-head moves down, the pusher I 01 is swung down about its pivot screw I09. As shown in Fig. 4, the lower end of the pusher I! is bent out somewhat to provide a stiffener-engaging face; and, when the cross-head descends, this face engages the rear wall of a counter stiffener which the operator has placed on the form so as to push the rear wall of the counter stiffener firmly against the adjacent wall of the form if the stiffener is not already in such a position. In any event, this pusher ensures that the counter stiffener is properly in place on the form before it is engaged by the descending upper die.

The creasing or indenting dies 4|, as may have any suitable shape of cooperating faces to produce the desired pliability in the treated ends of the stiffener; and these dies are readily removable and replaceable by others for operation upon 5.

stiffeners of different lengths positioned snugly in place by the pusher I0! upon the form constituted by the member 69 and the lower die.

The counter stiffener and the method of producing it are not claimed herein, but form the subject matter of United States Letters Patent No. 2,234,282, granted on March 11, 1941, of which the present application is a division.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A machine for forming in the inturned flange of a molded counter stiffener creases which extend lengthwise of said flange, said machine having in combination a pair of dies having corrugations so constructed and arranged that the ridges of the corrugations of one die register with the valleys of the corrugations of the other die, means for positioning a counter stiffener upon one of the dies with the ends of its inturned flange extending lengthwise of the corrugations of said die, and means for causing relative movement of approach of the dies in a path which is substantially perpendicular to their operative faces.

2. A machine for creasing th flange of a counter stiffener having, in combination, a support for a counter stiffener, said support comprising a die having a series of corrugations over which the flange of the counter stiffener may extend, a second die provided with corrugations the ridges of which register with the valleys of the corrugations of the other die, means for relatively reciprocating the dies, and means for adjusting the counter stiffener support toward and from the second die.

3. A machine for creasing the flange of a counter stiffener having, in combination, a support for a counter stiffener, said support comprising a die having a series of corrugations over which the flange of the counter stiffener may extend, a second die provided with registering corrugations, means including a yieldable member for reciprocating the second die, and means for adjusting the counter stiffener support toward and from the second die.

4. A machine for creasing the flange of a molded counter stiffener having, in combination, a form shaped to support the stiffener, said form comprising a die provided with corrugations over which the inturned flange of the counter stiffener extends, pressers for holding the wings of the counter stifiener against the sides of the form, a second die having corrugations the ridges of which register with the valleys of the corrugations of the first-named die, and means for causing relative movement of approach of the dies.

5. A machine for creasing the flange of a molded counter stiffener having, in combination, a form shaped to support the stiffener, said form comprising a die provided with corrugations over which the inturned flange of the counter stiffener extends, means for guiding the stiffener openend foremost into position with its inturned at taching flange overlying the form and for positioning the two ends of the flange symmetrically upon the form, a second die having corrugations which register with the valleys of the corrugations of the first-named die, and means for causing relative movement of approach of the dies.

6. A machine for operating upon a counter stiffener having, in combination, a pair of dies one of which is adapted to support the stiffener prior to being operated upon, means for causing movement of approach and recession between the two dies, and a pusher operated by the movement of approach to engage the stiffener and ensure its proper location on the supporting die.

'7. A machine for operating upon a counter stiffener having, in combination, a pair of dies one of which is adapted to have a stiffener placed upon it, means for causing the other die to approach and recede from the supporting die, a pusher mounted on one of the dies for ensuring that the stiffener is properly positioned on the supporting die, and means responsive to said movement of approach and recession for moving the pusher with respect to the die upon which it is mounted.

8. A machine for creasing the flange of a counter stiffener having, in combination, a pair of dies having corrugations so constructed and arranged that the ridges of the corrugations of one die register with the valleys of the corrugations of the other, one of said dies being adapted to support a counter stiffener with its inturned flange lying on the corrugations of the die, means for causing movements of approach and recession between the two dies, and a pusher operated by the movement of approach to engage a wall of the stiffener and push it against a wall of the supporting die.

9. A machine for rendering pliable the margina1 portions at the ends of the inturned flange of a molded counter stiffener, said machine having a die, means for positioning a molded counter stiffener upon the die with the ends of its inturned flange resting upon the die, a second die, said dies having cooperating recesses and projections located to operate upon said ends, and means for causing relative approach of the dies in a path which is substantially perpendicular to their operative faces whereby the cooperating recesses and projections act to indent the ends of the flange.

ARTHUR L. RUSSELL.

WILLIAM M. WATSON. 

